God Doesn’t “call the qualified; He qualifies the called”: Archbishop in Nigeria on Need to Embrace Call Despite Defects

“Just as Isaiah, Paul, and Peter were sent out, we, too, are called to share our faith. Evangelization is not only for priests and religious – it is for all of us,” he said during Holy Mass St. Anthony of Padua Parish, where he conferred the Sacrament of Confirmation to 259 candidates.

In his homily, the Local Ordinary of Abuja since November 2019 prayed for the power of the Holy Spirit to transform those who were about to be confirmed in the Catholic faith. He prayed that they would become instruments of evangelization in their country, Nigeria.

Encouraging the Confirmands to increase their witness in their native country first, Archbishop Kaigama said, “Jesus is not asking you to leave all your material property to follow Him; but to leave our sinful baggage, known or hidden sins, and bad habits. By doing so, we can have the courage and strength to be witnesses.”

He went on to urge those to be confirmed to embrace God’s call, quoting Prophet Isaiah’s words after his “unclean lips” were cleansed, “Here I am, send me!”’

Archbishop Kaigama urged the people of God at St. Anthony of Padua Parish to involve God in their daily challenges, noting that God is powerful enough to ease problems.

He gave the example of Simon Peter, who, as a fisherman, had toiled in vain without success until Jesus intervened. The Nigerian Archbishop said that Simon Peter succeeded because of “his trust in the words of Jesus.”

“We should not rely on our expertise and experience; we need to involve God in our day-to-day struggles,” the Catholic Church leader, who started his Episcopal Ministry in April 1995 as Bishop of Nigeria’s Catholic Diocese of Jalingo said.

He highlighted the danger of working hard without involving God, noting, “Like Peter, we may have toiled without the desired result; we may have empty nets, especially when we try to do it alone – moments of struggle, failure, or doubt. But if we obey God's word and trust Him, He will work miracles for us.”

The Catholic Church leader underscored the importance of embracing God’s call because God uses anyone despite their weaknesses or sins.

“God did not discard Isaiah for his weakness. Neither did He judge Paul by his past life, nor reprove Peter for admitting his sinfulness. Rather, He transformed their weakness into strength for His mission of evangelization,” the Local Ordinary of Abuja said.

“Success comes not through our efforts alone, but from God’s provision. Allow God to use you; do not make excuses or try to refuse God's call. Come with your weakness and God will transform it into strength for His glory,” he said.

The Local Ordinary of Abuja underscored the importance of teamwork and relying on God to create a positive impact in society.

“In our contemporary society, we are called to be prophets like Isaiah, boldly proclaiming God’s word and standing up for justice. We are called to be ‘fishers of men’ like Peter, reaching out to others with the message of hope and redemption,” he said.

In his February 9 homily, Archbishop Kaigama also called on the leaders in Nigeria to prioritize the needs of the people in the West African nation.

“As we continue to suffer hardship and hunger in our land, we call on our leaders to pay attention to the needs of the people,” he said.

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He further appealed to Nigerians to be productive and cherish their work to attract God’s blessings, saying, “Have something to do, and encourage the young not to be lazy but to be creative. Peter was not sitting in his house when the Lord met him and got him a great catch; he was at work fishing the whole night. I call on you dear people of God to cherish your work and put more effort in it so that God may bless us with increase and faith.”

Archbishop Kaigama encouraged the people to remain determined and serve as sincere witnesses, spreading the light of Christ in the world and becoming “true fishers of men and agents of God's love and salvation.”

“I urge you all, parishioners of St. Anthony of Padua Parish, Pasali, to walk in the light of Christ so that when He returns, He will find our light shining brightly and find us at our duty post,” he said. 

The Local Ordinary of Abuja implored, “May we trust in God's call, allow His grace to transform us, and follow Him wholeheartedly.”